Vallecito Campground

Vallecito Campground is at the very end of a long set of roads that go past Vallecito Lake north of Bayfield, Colorado. It's a USFS campground, with 80 sites in four loops.

Most sites are dry camping with shared water spigots. Of the reservable sites, there are three with electrical hookups: 27, 28 and 29. 27 is pull-through and the rest are back-in. There are 30 other reservable sites that are dry camping. THere are a number of electric sites on the farthest loop of the campground. Some are pull-through sites. Not all sites in Vallecito are suitable for large rigs, it pays to take a youtube tour to see which might be if that's what you have.

Vallecito is a very popular campground, but typically only fills on weekends in the summer. Starlink may be problematic, but Verizon and ATT cell service are very usable.

Vallecito is sited right next to Vallecito Creek, one of the primary feeds of Vallecito Reservoir. The creek is a good fishery starting about 1.5 miles north of the campground on the trail that starts at the campground. The trail runs into the Weminuche Wilderness, the largest wilderness in Colorado, which is a destination for day hikers, backpackers and outfitters.

The Reservoir offers boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc. There is a marina where watercraft may be rented. It's a small marina and rentals go fast.

Vallecito is also convenient to Bayfield (20 miles) and Durango (~40 miles). Durango is the area's largest town in southwestern Colorado and there are a plethora of (paid and free) outdoor activities offered.

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad starts in Durango and half- (Cascade Creek as a destination) and all-day (the town of Silverton is the destination) excursions are available. Both coal-fired and diesel locomotives are used on the railroad. Both of the offerings are recommended. Narrow gauge railroads were the lifeblood of northern New Mexico and Colorado due to the mountainous terrain traversed.

Durango has a variety of eating establishments with varied cuisines. Our favorite is 636 at 636 (!) Main Ave. There are a number of brewpubs as well.

Vallecito Campground is recommended.